Will I End Up As a Hero or a Demon King (WN)

Chapter 201

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(2/12)

Chapter 201 – God’s Mistake

I don’t understand what’s going on.

The man and woman who entered the room also seemed confused, with puzzled expressions on their faces.

Amidst the confusion, Hans-san—the only one who seems to understand the situation—speaks up.

“Since we’re here, I’ll introduce everyone. The potbellied man is Tarhan, and the woman who could put on a little weight is Rubieira.”

Hans-san pats the man called Tarhan on the stomach, and from the atmosphere, it doesn’t seem like they have a bad relationship.

“This one who looks like a kid is Loki. He came to play today because of various things. By the way, he’s Japanese.”

Upon hearing this, the two look at me with expressions that say, “Oh, I see.”

Of course, I do, too.

If they can understand such an introduction, then they must be former Earthlings, too.

“I’m Tarhan. I’m originally from a small country in Central America. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Rubieira.”

Tarhan looks like a mild-mannered person in his late 20s. Rubieira, however, is so thin that it’s hard to tell her age. Maybe she’s sick?

Her voice was hoarse and cracked, like a bar hostess who had been drinking too much.

I wonder if a little healing magic would cure her.

“It’s not often that people from another world meet each other. I thought I might as well offer you… Loki.”

“Huh?”

“If you have any worries or problems, you can stay here.”

“Eh…?”

“Of course, it’s not mandatory or anything. It’s just an option. I don’t need more fighting power or anything.”

At those words, the two standing beside him chimed in.

“If you wanted more fighting power, you wouldn’t have invited someone like me, who can only tinker with grass.”

“I’m useless, so I’m good.”

They were both smiling, but it was hard to tell if they were joking. I didn’t know how to respond.

Since Hans-san’s pets are so strong, unlike Lagreath, I think he’s telling the truth when he says he doesn’t want more fighting power…

Still, I find it hard to tell if he’s just being kind.

As if reading their expressions, Hans-san looked at the two of them with a slightly serious expression.

“Is it okay if I tell Loki about you guys?”

“Of course.”

“There are people who only you can save. If you want to, please save them.”

The two nodded and exchanged words. At Hans-san’s urging, they left the room.

A moment of silence passed.

I could only watch the situation unfold while staring at Hans-san.

Then, he slowly opened his mouth, rubbing his hands together again.

“It’s hard to talk about this in front of them.”

That was…

“By the way, those two are former slaves.”

It was much heavier than I had imagined.

“You could say that the worthless goddess ruined their lives.”

It was as if my heart had been torn out.

“I can’t even imagine how many victims there are…”

That was the story.

Tarhan used to work as a gardener on Earth.

He died of illness, an accident, or perhaps of old age after living a full life.

After he died, he was chosen by this world and met Alicia, who was in charge of guiding the reincarnated.

She asked him,

“The goddess will help you start a new life. What do you want in this new world?”

As far as Hans-san knows, all reincarnated people are asked the same question.

Of course, it’s not just those words. The new world is less peaceful than Earth, with a less advanced civilization and a variety of races.

He also mentioned the purpose of summoning reincarnated individuals, which I had heard from Alicia before. One reason is to bring as much of their previous knowledge as possible into the new world.

Tarhan answered,

“I only have knowledge and experience as a gardener, so I want to be able to use that.”

Rubieira apparently answered,

“My dream was to make people happy through song. If my dream can come true, I want to be a singer.”

The two were born with extraordinary talent, reaching level 10 in Gardening and Singing, respectively—a talent that would astonish anyone.

Then, they were abducted at a young age.

They were both less than five years old at the time and cannot remember their birth parents’ faces.

From then on, each was forced to endure a harsh life.

Tarhan, a slave with restricted movement, was forced to use his unparalleled gardening skills while only being able to gaze at the glamorous lives of the nobility from the garden.

Similarly, Rubieira was forced to sing endlessly in public to earn money. When her voice was ruined, she was made to perform as a bizarre sideshow attraction.

The only thing that saved them was the coincidence that their slave traders were surrounded by beastmen at that moment.

After finishing their story, Hans-san grimaced and cursed the goddess once again.

“I knew. I knew what another world was like. I knew what to seek and what to gain to advance favorably. At least Takuya and that other bastard are the same. That’s why they have power and are where they are now.”

“…”

“Loki seemed to know a little too. But what about those who don’t know such a world? What would they answer if a ‘god’ suddenly asked them about their desires?”

“If they’re kindhearted, they’d choose something like what Tarhan-san did, based on their past experiences. But even if they’re not, they’d want to be popular, rich, or fulfill their dreams. I think that’s just answering with their desires.”

That’s why.

That’s the reaction Hans-san showed when I answered ‘2008.’

“It’s not so bad.”

I think I finally understand what that means.

That was the worldview at the time, or so I think.

The fact that Hans-san knew about it means he was exposed to that kind of knowledge until his death in 2017.

But what if this were before 2000?

What if we go back to a time before personal computers existed?

For some people, it wouldn’t be a matter of gaining knowledge; rather, everyone would be in a desperate situation.

I’m sure I would just spout empty wishes. As a result…

“I don’t care how many skills Loki has, but I don’t like that people’s skills differ. If you don’t ask, you won’t get anything. On the contrary, if you beg, you’ll get three skills and even a job protection bonus.”

That’s inequality…”

Even after sorting through the information I’ve received since being transported to this world, I think it’s all true.

The goddesses—probably Alicia—don’t mean any harm.

They’re genuinely worried about the world and are trying to make it a better place.

That’s why it’s even worse.

Hah…

I let out a deep sigh.

“If Loki can do it alone, then that’s fine. But some people are born with significant disadvantages. If Loki is one of them, then I’ll welcome you anytime. That’s what I’m saying.”

Even if their magic is black?”

“If Loki has a decent brain, it’s not a big deal. All my pets have black magic, but they walk around normally!”

Seeing him laugh so exaggeratedly, I relax my shoulders.

I’m really glad I met Hans-san.

Of course, it’s great to meet someone from the same homeworld for the first time, but more than that, I relate to his way of thinking.

For a moment, I thought it might be okay to stay here and let him take care of me.

“I really appreciate your kind offer, but I’ll do what I can on my own first.”

It’s the only answer I can give right now.

It’s not so much for myself as it is for the goddesses.

I know it’s presumptuous, but if I abandon them, they’ll have no one left on their side.

Ultimately, I’ll just continue doing things the way I always have: not knowing how to do things better, not realizing when I’m wrong, not receiving any outside advice, and not making any significant progress. The world will just continue to decline.

If that’s the case, then I have no choice but to become a demon and push them to improve.

Fortunately, problems keep popping up one after another.

If I tackle them one by one, things may turn positive.

“If you can do it yourself, that’s best. I’ll be rooting for you!”

“If you’re in a real bind, I’ll come back on my own. Even if that’s not the case, I’ll stop by again!”

Let’s try to maintain a good relationship with each other.

We left the room, passed through the palace interior, and arrived at the large entrance, which could be called the main entrance.

From the high ground, a fantastical world spread out before us. Unlike the city where humans lived, buildings, trees, and rock walls seemed to blend together.

There were many tall, pointed rock mountains. Various creatures of all sizes flying between them was a sight I had never seen before in Lagreath.

“Well, shall I take you back to where you were? Are you okay now?”

“Yes, I was able to learn how to deal with the beastmen I met outside, and I learned a lot from talking with you.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Let’s go then.”

“Yes, thank you very much. Ahhhhh…”

As I turned around to express my gratitude, I noticed Maybira was there.

The conversation had been so intense that I had completely forgotten about her.

I forgot to ask about the hint for Spatial Magic!

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